Quebec Boxing: A Look Back at 2025

Inside the Matchmaker’s Eye By Vincent Morin The year 2025 delivered no shortage of emotion for Quebec boxing. A total of 16 professional boxing cards were staged across the province, in addition to international appearances by Artur Beterbiev, Christian Mbilli, Jessica Camara, Leila Beaudoin, Alexis Barrière, and Arslanbek Makhmudov. Here are the Canada Fighting Award winners for Quebec boxing in 2025. Fight of the Year: Christian Mbilli vs. Lester Martinez Fight of the Year unquestionably belongs to Christian Mbilli, who seized a massive opportunity on the global stage while competing on the undercard of the blockbuster showdown between superstars Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Terence Crawford on September 13 in Las Vegas. After a breathtaking battle with hard-hitting Guatemalan contender Lester Martinez, the judges rendered a split draw verdict, capping off one of the most memorable fights involving a Quebec boxer in recent years. Honourable mentions go to the thrilling domestic clashes between Steven Butler and Stéphane Fondjo, as well as Wilkens Mathieu vs. Shakeel Phinn. Knockout of the Year: Guillaume Gosselin vs. Stéphane Barthelemy The Knockout of the Year in Quebec was delivered by Plessisville native Guillaume Gosselin during a New Era Promotions event on November 29 at La Nesra. The southpaw, trained by Francis Léveillé, flattened Montreal’s Stéphane Barthelemy in the corner, knocking him out cold while standing with a devastating left hand. Honourable mentions include Tammara Thibeault against Italy’s Cristina Mazzotta, and Christian Mbilli’s stoppage of Poland’s Maciej Sulecki. Breakout Fighter of the Year: Derek Pomerleau Derek Pomerleau of Mercier earns Breakout Fighter of the Year honours after an impressive 2025 campaign featuring six bouts and five victories. Following a win broadcast on DAZN against Britain’s Nathan McIntosh on February 28 in Gatineau, the southpaw coached by Stéphan Larouche launched his journey at the Riyadh Season Grand Prix in Saudi Arabia. Pomerleau defeated Ukraine’s Liparit Ustian and Dmytro Rybalko, Ireland’s Paul Ryan, and Colombia’s Carlos Sinisterra before falling in the tournament final to Australia’s Dylan Biggs. He was the only Canadian among the three participants—alongside Spencer Wilcox and Eric Basran—to reach the final. At just 25 years old, the future looks bright for the fighter known as Slick. Event of the Year: MVP The Event of the Year was the joint production by Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) and Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM), headlined by the IBF minimumweight (105 lb) world championship bout between Kim Clavel and Argentina’s Sol Cudos on September 27 at Théâtre St-Denis. Clavel’s world-title victory, a thunderous knockout by Olympic standout Tammara Thibeault, flawless performances from Mazlum Akdeniz, and a major upset as Italy’s Federica Macri defeated MVP prospect Naomi Valle made the event well worth the price of admission. Promoter of the Year: Eye of the Tiger Eye of the Tiger was Quebec’s most active promoter in 2025, staging nine events compared to four for GYM, two for New Era Promotions, and one for Canada Fighting. World championship bouts featuring Leila Beaudoin and Mary Spencer, along with international appearances by Christian Mbilli and Arslanbek Makhmudov, further cemented Eye of the Tiger’s standing as a major-league boxing promoter. Boxer of the Year: Christian Mbilli Christian Mbilli earns Boxer of the Year honours in Quebec after a sensational first-round knockout victory to capture the WBC Interim Super-Middleweight (168 lb) world title against Poland’s Maciej Sulecki on June 27 at Quebec City’s Centre Vidéotron. His electrifying showdown with Lester Martinez on the Alvarez–Crawford undercard further solidified his selection. Female Boxer of the Year: Kim Clavel Kim Clavel is named Quebec’s Female Boxer of the Year for 2025 after capturing a world title for the second time in her career. On September 27 at Théâtre St-Denis, she defeated Argentina’s Sol Cudos by unanimous decision to claim the IBF minimumweight championship. Earlier in the year, on February 27 at the Casino de Montréal, Clavel also earned a unanimous decision victory over Mexico’s former WBA world champion Anabel Ortiz. Trained by Danielle Bouchard, Clavel currently stands as the only Quebec-born female boxer holding a major world title.

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